Probing varsities’ take off grants
As the anti-corruption war rages on, the federal government last week constituted a seven-man committee to audit the utilization of take off grants in twelve new federal universities established between 2011 and 2013. The Committee would be inaugurated by Minister of Education Malam Adamu Adamu tomorrow, May 2. The federal universities are Federal University, Lokoja; […]
As the anti-corruption war rages on, the federal government last week constituted a seven-man committee to audit the utilization of take off grants in twelve new federal universities established between 2011 and 2013. The Committee would be inaugurated by Minister of Education Malam Adamu Adamu tomorrow, May 2. The federal universities are Federal University, Lokoja; Federal University, Oye-Ekiti; Federal University, Ndufu-Alike; Federal University, Dutse; Federal University, Dutsin-Ma and Federal University, Gusau. Others are Federal University, Kashere; Federal University, Gashua; Federal University, Birnin Kebbi; Federal University, Lafia; Federal University, Otuoke and Federal University, Wukari.
The Education Minister, who announced the constitution of the Audit Committee said it is to be headed by former Vice Chancellor of the University of Ibadan Prof. Olufemi Bamiro.
The Minister’s statement signed by acting permanent secretary in the Federal Ministry of Education Dr. Hussaini Adamu said Barrister Kefas Magaji would serve as secretary. Other members include Mr. S. L. Abubakar, Egr. Mansur Ahmed, Arc. Umar Aliyu, Mr. Freddy Esenwa and Prof. Patrick Ehi-Oshio.
The Committee, which is to complete its assignment in twelve weeks, is to determine the actual amount released to the National Universities Commission (NUC) by the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) as take-off grants for the execution of projects in the twelve universities. Other terms of reference include identifying and confirming the number of contracts awarded including contract sums under the take-off grants; and ascertaining whether or not due process was followed in the award of the contracts for the take-off of the projects. The committee is also to ‘determine the amount paid on each project including outstanding claims, if any, to date.”
The committee is equally mandated to assess the status of various projects implemented by the institutions using the take- off grants; and thereafter make recommendations for any other issues relating to project implementation in the twelve new universities.
We commend the Minister of Education for domesticating the anti-corruption war in federal tertiary institutions. Special audit committees of this kind have become necessary because of the collapse, over the years, of the audit system in the public service including federal institutions of higher learning. Rather than being citadels of excellence, some Nigerian universities have in recent years become homes to corrupt practices. It would be recalled that in August 2012, the Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission (ICPC) in collaboration with the NUC carried out a system review of some Nigerian universities. This followed the piles of petitions from students, staff and institutions’ unions which separately alleged weighty corrupt practices and abuse of due process in those universities.
In furtherance, therefore, of the current anti-corruption crusade in the country which is a cardinal thrust of the President Muhammadu Buhari administration; we suggest to the Minister of Education to subject older universities and other tertiary institutions to the same audit exercise.
We also recommend that the routine visitation panels usually constituted by the Visitor to all Nigerian universities after every five years should be revived. This practice, worthwhile as it is, has not been a regular exercise in recent years. Besides auditing cash books of universities, visitation panels help to check other forms of abuse of due process in terms of student admissions, irregularities in the appointment and promotion of staff, sexual harassment, syndicated plagiarism, violation of procurement laws and running of unapproved programmes and study centers.
While we urge the Audit Committee to carry out its assignment thoroughly and within the terms of reference given to it, we encourage it to also conclude its work and submit a report within the twelve weeks period assigned for the exercise. We equally call on the Minister of Education to promptly release the White Paper on the report to be submitted by the Audit Committee.
Malam Adamu Adamu must not allow the report to join others that have been dumped in the shelves by his predecessors. Any person(s) found to have embezzled public funds or compromised due process should be appropriately sanctioned.